Feb. 28, 2004

Final Stats

ST. LOUIS - Saint Louis University baseball fell 3-0 to Creighton this afternoon at The Billiken Sports Center as the Blue Jays out-hit the Billikens 7-3. SLU (2-4) was in striking distance throughout the game by preventing the big inning and forcing Creighton (2-3) to leave 14 men on base, but the offense stalled against Blue Jay ace Steve Grasley.

The Blue Jays looked to pounce on Billiken starter Joe Buehler (Barnhart, Mo./St. Pius X), who battled for control all afternoon. Drawing a pair of walks to open the second inning, Creighton loaded the bases on Matt Hammer's single just over the head of Billiken shortstop Pat Steinhoff (St. Charles, Mo./St. Charles West). Buehler managed to keep the Jays off the board, though, with a pair of fly balls to end the inning.

A two-out double from Zach Daegas and a Dave Schultz single plated the Jays' first run in the top of the third. Pete Wiedewitsch made it a 2-0 game with a double to right before Buehler got out of the inning. SLU looked to answer in the bottom of the frame when senior Aaron Thompson (Jefferson City, Mo./Jefferson City) drew a two-out walk and Steinhoff drove a single to right. Grasley forced freshman Mark Hankes (Granite City, Ill./Granite City) to fly out to left to end the threat.

After issuing another leadoff walk in the top of the sixth, Buehler yielded the mound to sophomore Pat Burtch (Fishers, Ind./Hamilton Southeastern). The young right-hander had similar results, though, as a walk and a single loaded the bases and set up Gabe Lapito's sacrifice fly to center. Burtch hit Matt Daeges to load the bases again before turning the mound over to freshman Ryan Sweet (Collinsville, Ill./Collinsville). In his first career appearance, Sweet got Chase Odenreider to fly out to left, and the Billikens were able to double up Jiim Hinrichs on second to keep the game within reach.

While the defense was holding game in check, however, the offense never got off the ground. Grasley mowed down the Billiken lineup with seven strikeouts in eight innings while issuing just one walk. Closer Brandon Bird was just as effective in the bottom of the ninth as he recorded a pair of strikeouts to deliver the win.

The two teams wrap up their three-game series on Sun., Feb. 29, at 1 p.m. at The Billiken Sports Center.